


Elysian Sun

by uwucraft



Series: Amaranthine [1]
Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Idiots in Love, M/M, Runaan is a dork, Tinker and Rayla gang up on Runaan for funsies, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-22
Updated: 2019-02-22
Packaged: 2019-11-04 00:09:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17887784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uwucraft/pseuds/uwucraft
Summary: Runaan's woodland meditation session is violently interrupted by two vicious attackers.





	Elysian Sun

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lisa_Kay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lisa_Kay/gifts).



Far away from the village in a secluded clearing in the woods, Runaan focuses on controlling his breathing, entering a gentle state of meditation. He focuses on the hissing of the leaves in the trees around him, imagining with his eyes closed how the sunlight breaks through the branches in golden streaks, illuminating the forest floor. His breaths are deep, steady and even – in, out, in, out – concentrating on clearing his mind and creating a blank slate, free of all thoughts. He practices this routine often, especially before missions. One cannot perform efficiently if one’s thoughts are occupied.

Or so he tells himself. In reality, Runaan finds he performs best when his thoughts are occupied by a particular dark-skinned elf with peculiar gold markings. The same elf that crafts little trinkets and weapons for him. The same elf that treats his wounds after missions and holds him tightly night after night when terrors overcome his dreams. The same elf that had entered his life and swept him off his feet – not literally; Runaan’s pride is too esteemed for that. The same elf that, without a second thought or hesitation, took immediately to his beloved Rayla, who in turn took immediately to him – to Tinker.

Tinker and Rayla are quite the team; both witty and happy and quick to laugh off bad things. Runaan wishes often that he could be more like them, but they assure him that he’s perfect the way he is.

Runaan laughs silently to himself. ‘ _Perfect_ ,’ he thinks, ‘ _What an odd word_.’

The world around him falls silent in the best of all possible ways. Only the sounds of nature in its purest form remain. Leaves sighing, grass swishing, birds singing an array of individual tunes, the soft sounds of his breathing. It’s peaceful.

But something is off.

A presence a few yards behind him disrupts the atmosphere. He isn’t worried – if something happens, he can easily defend himself – rather he’s more annoyed that someone would dare to ruin such a tranquil moment.

Untrained steps slowly make their way into the clearing, disturbing the grass and forest debris. Runaan continues as he was, eyes closed, breathing even, mind clear of all thoughts, until-

 

“ _BOO!_ ”

 

A loud, tenor voice sounds off behind him, dark arms coming to wrap around his chest as a body slams into his back. Runaan wills away a smile in favor of a dramatic display of feigned horror and pain: eyes growing wide, mouth agape, clutching his chest and wheezing. He presses his weight into the body behind him, slumping against his attacker’s chest. “Oh, Gods!” he exclaims. “Oh, no! Oh, woe is me!”

The body behind him begins to shake as if containing laughter.

“You have wounded me, stranger!” Runaan continues. “I’ve been attacked! Somebody help! The end is neigh!”

He begins fake coughing, curling in on himself for theatrical effect.

“Existence is pain! Cough! Cough!”

He seizes up, eyes going impossibly wider as he gasps, extending his arm as if reaching for something.

“And…! Death!”

Runaan allows his entire body to go limp, eyes shut, holding his breath.

He lies like that for a few moments, chest just starting to burn when he peeks an eye open and peers up at the man above him. Bright, twinkling amber eyes meet his and a soft smile graces the lips of his fiancé. Tinker quirks an eyebrow at him, smile transforming to a smirk.

“It appears you have defeated me,” Runaan says, reaching up to gently stroke Tinker’s cheek.

“It appears I have,” Tinker replies.

They meet in the middle for a kiss, smiling against each other’s lips. Runaan draws back and hums contently, sitting up and adjusting his clothes. Tinker’s arms stay wrapped around Runaan’s chest and he lays his cheek against Runaan’s back in between his shoulder blades.

“How’s meditating going?”

“Rather well, I think, though the forest is quieter than usual today.”

“Mhm.”

Runaan turns to look at Tinker quizzically. He tilts his head as if to say, “What?” and furrows his brows in confusion.

The thing about Tinker: he’s very vocal. He’s always talking and never seems to run out of things to say. He won’t hesitate to express his opinion on any matter, which has led to several arguments with random strangers at the tavern that Runaan has begrudgingly had the job of breaking up. Tinker isn’t a violent person per se, but his way with words can invoke any emotion he wants from people. He frequently employs that talent on Runaan, leaving him reeling, be it with frustration with Tinker’s stubbornness and ability to get away with little mischiefs – often spurred by Rayla’s equal sense of devilry – or with adoration and fondness. Runaan will sometimes ask if Tinker is aware of his talent, to which the other will simply wink and say, “I know.”

All that said, Tinker’s silence is unsettling.

Tinker lifts a brow. “Take a guess,” is written all over his face. Runaan racks his brain, frantically trying to decipher Tinker’s meaning.

“Runaan.”

“Yes?”

“Where’s Rayla?”

 

‘ _Oh_.’

 

‘ _Oh, no.’_

 

The thought takes a moment to register, but once it does, Runaan is immediately on his feet, scanning the area for any sign of the child, eyes wide with concern.

“She was here; I swear it.”

“Weren’t you helping her with her stance or whatever?” Tinker’s nonchalant attitude worries Runaan even more.

Ignoring Tinker’s inquiry, Runaan darts off into the trees, nimbly avoiding low-hanging twigs that threaten to catch on clothes or scratch flesh. He calls out Rayla’s name, voice echoing off the long pines and scattering various animals. Weaving deftly through the trees, he goes all the way to the small river not far from the clearing before turning and running back.

Back in the clearing, Tinker’s face is impassive as he gazes up at Runaan, still sat on the ground where he left him. Runaan puts his hands on his knees, breathless not so much from the running, but from the panic.

“I can’t find her,” he starts, “She isn’t in the woods. I don’t remember seeing her leave. Perhaps she went in another direction? I don’t-”

Suddenly a small form leaps out at him from the trees, yelling indecipherably at the top of its lungs. Runaan visibly jumps and _screams_ , terrified, sending Tinker into a boisterous laughing fit that has him snorting and literally rolling on the ground. Hands on his knees, Runaan works to catch his breath as his assailant dangles from a low-lying tree limb.

Rayla’s eyes sparkle as she tries to hold back laughter.

“Did I scare you, Runaan?” she asks, exposing a gap in her teeth from where she’d lost a tooth recently. Tinker had cried when she showed it to him, and she’d been so proud.

“Yes, you did, little one,” Runaan replies as he holds his arms out for her. She sits upright on the branch and leaps down into his waiting grasp.

“You sure did scream awfully loud!”

“Yes, well…” He trailed off, cheeks threatening to redden with embarrassment.

Tinker’s laugh had died down and he now lay on the ground, propped up on an elbow, staring lovingly at his two favorite people in all the world. Runaan held Rayla in his arms, and they were smiling at each other. Runaan’s face was flushed, and Rayla poked at his cheeks, teasing him. Tinker’s heart swelled.

“You should’ve seen your face, Runaan!” Rayla laughs. “I got you real good!”

“Indeed, you did. As expected from the fiercest warrior in all of Xadia.”

Runaan glances at Tinker, who still has remnants of tears in his eyes from laughing, and strides over to where he lay in the grass. Setting Rayla down, he joins Tinker on the ground and guides Rayla to lay in between them. Runaan and Tinker stare into each other’s eyes, each full of so much love it threatens to pour over. Tinker’s mouth moves, forming words that Runaan doesn’t quite hear as he falls asleep beside his two great loves.


End file.
